- Mar 18, 2016
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I have a hen that is not tame, but a over a week ago we had noticed her bottom kept getting blacker and really gross. Now like I said she has never been handled, with my other 2 they are tame and I would have put her a Epsom salt bath. I didn't know what to do, but it was getting so bad I figured some how I needed to catch her and cut off those feathers to see what was going on. Well I didn't have to do much to catch her because she was sick and smelled so bad. I started cutting off the crusted feathers and saw either maggots or worms, not just one or two but dozens! I immediately dunked her in a bucket of water that was outside and dozens of these worm started floating to the top. Not only that but when I looked her skin was all mushy and that's were they were coming from. I then got a bucket of warm water with Epsom salt and dunked her 4 more times until they weren't floating. I have never seen anything like that and she was so sick. I don't think she would have lived much longer. Brought in the house, wrapped her up and prayed for the best. Next morning when I checked on her a lifted her up and 2 worms were still in the muck. Did another bath and really worked on removing the soft tissue. She was eating some and drinking water. Started adding apple cider vinegar and electorates. I also added some DE and orally gave it to her and putting DE on her bottom and her bottom started drying out. She still looked depressed but then she had went through a horrible ordeal. I have a house chicken that had been injured and having 2 wasn't working. Thought she was doing better so I put her in the barn since the other chickens roost in the trees. Today I brought her in to warm up since it's getting cold. Then I saw something that looked like a solid egg yoke. Cut it open and saw a little bit of a soft shell in it. I have no idea what or why and she hasn't laid a egg in almost a year, we figured she must be at least 5 years old. Thought this must have been the problem and let her out .She actually was walking around and went over the flock. Next thing she comes running back with a hen attacking her. When I picked her up I looked to see if she was hurt, another yoke came out! She was bloody but not from her vent, figured it was from the attack. She now is back in the house, depressed. I just took her out to my strawberry patch which is safe. And she is just standing there not moving around. Help! I don't know what to do!